The hand is the part of the body that most often is used symbolically. We find it already in prehistoric drawings in caves such as Gargas and Pech Merle in France as well as in other continents such as South America and Australia.
The hand expresses actions and feelings that can be either positive or negative depending on the circumstance. In Semitic cultures, the hand represents power and very quickly it was used as a symbol for royal power. To touch then something with the hand is a magical act. We can also find this in the West, where it was believed that the king of France could cure his subjects by simply placing his hand on them.
There is also a distinction between the right and the left hand. In Ancient China for instance, the right hand would mean the way of action, whilst the left hand would lead to the way of non-action. In the west, the right hand would be seen as the way of the just whilst the left hand would lead people to the wrong path.
Now you take the floor: what do you associate with the hand?
For me the hand is tool for reaching out more than something we simply use to receive things.
Just like the eyes, our hands has its own way of conveying messages that word cannot even begin to explain.
For me the hand is there for you to have a forward action to reach out, for the touch as simple as it may be can transcend what may be inside of you towards another person.
That’s why we have hands, to touch, may it be to touch a person, a thing, a life, or even the world.
We have hands so we can reach out, we may feel like we are getting things all the time, but even in the act of getting you still touch, you chose to touch, you chose to give or you chose to take. you say so much by those actions and with the simple act of a hand, you convey who you are, and what you choose to do
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i think my hand is one way of how i express myself, every time i speak it moves as my mind tries to think of a way to force the words to come out. in some instances, it really is the one that’s talking for me. like on how a mute or deaf tries to talk, anybody has the ability to say everything that they would have want to say by using their hands. a simple touch or a pointing finger is enough to convey a thousand words.
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Querido Paulo,
Mãos : primeira associação « I want to hold your hand » beatles… mãos que se unem na oração, toque, carinho, suave… mãos que tocam… mãos que batem, mãos que machucam…
(vc me ensinou que ao escrever eu devo liberar tudo mesmo o mal)
Lembrei tb de uma amiga que tem por um problema de nascência não possui alguns dedos da mão esquerda e direita, e quanto ela fez disso uma alquimia na vida dela, ja que se trata de uma pessoa muito abençoada, que de forma alguma se deixou abater por este problema, ao contrario, fez disso uma benção.
Energia, amor, luz, instrumento…
MARG,
Ca
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Achei isso muito bonito .
…entre outras coisas as mãos servem para escrever aquilo que a gente tá pensando naquela hora….
Das mãos
Postado por Paulo Coelho em 14 de abril de 2009 às 03:20
Midrash Rabba, sobre o Eclesiastes:
“Quando o homem vem ao mundo, suas mãos estão sempre fechadas, como se quisesse dizer:
- O mundo inteiro é meu e conseguirei dominá-lo.
Quando o homem parte do mundo, suas mãos estão sempre abertas, como se quisesse dizer:
- Não tenho nada em meu poder. Tudo o que posso levar são minhas lembranças, tudo o que posso deixar são meus exemplos”.
Beijos,
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I associate trust. Because giving a hand menas trusting and helping someone. When you pull your hand away, that means you dont feel safe around the person you are around. You pull your hand away when your scared. But it all comes out to trust, you have to turst the situation.
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With the left hand you receive and with the right hand you give!
Also there are the diferent Mudras wich are very interesting to me, but I haven’t got to study them yet, all I know is that there are diferent Mudras that signify diferent blessings!
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For me hands associate with openness. Also with work.
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This may sound superficial in respect to all the other themes here, but what the heck. The last few months I’ve simply started noticing my hands more. They look older and I like it. It’s like they are a reflection of so many experiences from my past. And also being a nurse I’m a very “hands on” type of person. One can convey so many emotions and moods just with our hands. Be it a smooth touch to calm, or a vigious rub to invigorate or a squezzy smootch to show my dog loving affection. I also live in a foreign country and had my time with “talking with my hands.” I remember once my grandmother told me she wished that she didn’t have those liver spots on her hands. I kinna like mine…..
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A mão é tão significativa na nossa vida, que quando o noivo vai oficializar um casamento, ele não pede o corpo ou a alma aos pais da noiva, mas sim a sua mão. Quando não temos a voz, utizamos as mãos para se comunicar, ou então quando precisamos de ajuda, pedimos por uma mão. E por ai vai…
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I am just wondering why the right hand is most times more important or has a more positive meaning in various societies. I’m left-handed and have always wondered out of curiosity more than anything else.
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Hands are very important to me, because touch is my main sense: when I walk in a shop looking for clothes, I let my hand slip on them, caressing them, “feeling” them.
I do the same with a nice car: I touch it.
And with furniture, flowers, shoes, trees, porcelain… everything.
When I like a man, I need to touch his skin - I can never get enough of that. Just touching his shoulders and back when he is on top of me can drive me crazy.
I touch myself: my body, hair, feet, clothes, lips.
Hands are my mean to discover the world around me, as well as myself.
Love,
Rossana
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Paz? Paz não me parece um estado de vida e talvez (se nos guiarmos pelas tantas filosofias que nos servem) também não seja um estado de morte. A lógica da existência aparentemente tende a pesar as circunstâncias em pé de igualdade, umas justificando as outras (dia/noite, doce/salgado, etc). Um estado Absoluto aparentemente é uma possibilidade tão utópica quanto patética para a humanidade; romântica, bonita, atraente, mas apenas hipotética. Existência é embate constante, como uma provação cuja duração pode contemplar os poucos anos que nos cabem e talvez se alongar para além deles. Me esforço para não tentar entender Deus, apenas tentar fazer o que Ele ensinou de mais elementar e essencial: Do As You Will and Harm None.Acho mais importante tentar entender a abnegação do amor, exercitando-o, do que me preocupar em compreender uma paz impossível. Abraços, Paulo. Fique com Deus! :D
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In India there are position of hands that are consiedered to have particular powers.
They are called Mudra.
Every finger is considered to represent one of the magical elements of nature; earth, water, air, fire and the fifth finger (Thumb) is considered to represent “Etere” (in Italian), a force we can’t see but that exists.
Mudras are ofet used both in Yoga and in sacred dances.
Have a nice day.
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hand is a symbol of hope :)
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n jst not to miss this
i love u paulo… love u lots
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i m writing for d first tym here… bt somehow my heart says i should ..
the hindu mythology talks of d 3 verbs.. “knowledge” (saraswati), “power n money”(lakshmi), n eternal bliss (govinda) residing in d 3 parts of hand… d fingers, d palm n d root..
also hand so named “kar” in hindi translates to the verb meaning “to do”
one more view is dat the right hand is ur past n d left ur future. just thoght of a reason.. may be cuz time is balanced by our actions.
another hindu view talks bout the hands representing male n female counter parts.. i tried to make sense out of all this on reading paulo’s blog today. may be its harmony n d wonderful blend of energies being symbolised by the mere part of body we keep stresing all d day..
d last evening i met wid n accident n have hurt my right hand. i was bitter n sad cuz i hv n important exam to write in next 3 days n d doctors say i need a minimum 2 week rest.. m sad bt maybe now is the tym to rest those beautiful 2 little hands of mine who have given me sm of d most satisfying times of work n keep my mind in action.
thanks for rekindling my faith in myself..
lotsa love to all
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The first thing I think of is hands playing the piano or guitar and bringing music to life. I think of holding hands, of a mother cradling the head of her child with her hand. Another image that comes into my mind is of a person giving their hand reaching out to save someone in difficulty.
I met a mystic a few years ago and she prayed over me and placed her healing hands on my head. It was a powerful moment. I can remember being overcome with emotion and crying and then silent for a long time. We shook hands as if a bond was formed.
with love Angela (Starlight my space)
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